For the first time in weeks, things will be a little challenging for the Lady Cavaliers.

Lake Travis (34-3, 3-0), which hasn’t lost since August, takes on Hutto Friday night in what has to be the most anticipated match of the year in 25-4A.

One year ago, Lake Travis upset Hutto in three games in the teams’ first district meeting, and then Hutto took the second match in convincing fashion at the end of the slate. Lake Travis also lost a follow-up match to determine seeding in the playoffs, but wound up making a run to the state tournament final four, while the Lady Hippos bowed out before the regional tournament in San Antonio.

So what’s left of last year’s intense rivalry?

Maybe not as much as one would expect.

“This team is so different than last year’s team,” Lake Travis head coach Julie Green said. “There was this big build up to Hutto last year, and then kind of a letdown. Here, we’ve been really steady all along. The girls know when our really big games are, and now our goal isn’t to drop games in these big matches. Not just win in the end. Our goal is to win in three, and we’re going to need to play well to do that.”

That will be the case no matter who Lake Travis plays, and in an odd role reversal, the Lake Travis is the team with the target on its back this season. Still, it’s not changing the Lady Cavaliers’ mindset.

“We respect Hutto and the kind of team they have, but we have a lot of confidence,” Green said.

And this is before Green has really analyzed Hutto, as she just hasn’t had time to look over the tapes this season.

“I saw them early in the preseason, I recognized a few players from last year and saw some new faces, and I have some film I’ll go over before the match to give me some perspective,” Green said. “I know they’re smaller than they were last year, and they lost a few other big role players. It’s definitely a different team than last year, but they’ve played a tough preseason. They’ll be good.”

While Hutto lost all-everything middle Jessica O’Shoney, Sydney Maxey remains, and oddly enough, it was Maxey that gave Lake Travis the most trouble last season.

“Last year, they just set O’Shoney, and we bit them at home,” Green said. “The second time, they used a number of hitters and Maxey gave us all kinds of problems. This year, she’s had some injuries, so I’m not quite sure where she’s at, but she’s obviously someone we’ll have to keep an eye on.”

But more than anything, Green continues to focus on where Lake Travis can improve, even as the team dispatches district opponents.

“I still think we’re improving overall and I’m pleased,” she said. “For the most part, we’re meeting the goals we’ve set across the board. I think the girls are skilled and they do better when they have something to shoot for, and that’s important against the weaker teams. But now we have the kind of challenge we could use.”

The challenges don’t just start with Hutto, either. Lake Travis knew it would have its hands full Tuesday night against Hendrickson, as well. The Lady Hawks return a strong but inexperienced squad that Green is confident will finish in the top three in the district.

Despite that, Lake Travis dispatched the Lady Hawks in three straight 25-10, 25-19, 25-12.

Morgan Hendrix led Lake Travis with nine kills, Lani Durio had 20 assists, Amy Neal had 11 digs, Katy Beals had two blocks and Sammie Zonona had two aces.